UConn Recruits: Incoming QBs Have A Lot To Learn

There's a new offensive coordinator in town, T.J. Weist, and the Huskies will be learning new technology.

The staff has put together a presentation that includes formations, motions, personnel and base offense, and features starting points in the run and pass game. The players need to understand it before spring ball kicks off March 11.

That includes the two recently signed quarterbacks, who are still in high school.

"We'll get all of it to our [incoming] quarterbacks so they can start to prepare and learn the offense before they get here," quarterbacks coach Shane Day said.

Molding a college quarterback is a detail-oriented job.

"We'll give them a list of fundamentals to work on, and that plan is very specific to the particular quarterback because all of our quarterbacks are working on different things they need to improve on," Day said. "The quarterback recruits, based on tape and seeing them play, we're giving them specific things to work on and improve on before they get here in June."

Tim Boyle, 6-foot-4, from Xavier-Middletown; Kivan Taylor, a 6-5 dual-threat from Grady High School in Atlanta; and 6-6 Richard Lagow of Plano, Texas, are the incoming freshmen.

But they won't join junior Chandler Whitmer, last year's starter, junior Scott McCummings and redshirt freshman Casey Cochran until June, and won't be in front of coaches until then. By then, they must know the video and have worked on their specific needs.

"They're definitely going to come in and compete," Day said of the freshmen. "It'll be interesting to see. Chandler has a whole year of experience in the offense [and will go through spring practice]. The thing that we really like about the recruiting class is that we've increased the competition. We have five kids who we feel are really good quarterbacks that can push each other."

Last season was Whitmer's first in Storrs after playing at Butler Community College in Kansas, and it ended with mixed results. The offense was 65th in the nation with 230 passing yards a game. Louisville was the top passing team in the Big East with 296 yards a game, 24th in the nation. But there were few schools that threw more interceptions than UConn (18). Whitmer tossed 16, and some were high-risk.

Increased competition means there is less room for error.

"Every guy, when there are good players behind them, they have to be on their game day in and day out," Day said. "They know that they can't miss a workout in the weight room; they know they can't miss in the indoor facility. They know that if they're not on the top of their game, somebody could get ahead of them that same day."

That includes freshmen.

"We're not going to promise anyone they're going to start," Weist said. "We will play a freshman. What we're going to promise is that they're going to get the opportunity. Personally, I've never promised a player he was going to come in and start. To me, you can't do that because what if he doesn't? If he doesn't, then he feels like you're a liar. Then recruits will hear that. You have to tell them, 'Listen, when you come in, you're going to have the opportunity to compete and you're going to get reps and we're going to play the best players whether they're freshmen or seniors.' We're going to play the best players — and the best players are the ones who are most prepared."

After national letter-of-intent signing day Feb. 6, coaches were allowed to send their newest players information. In addition to video, the players get a workout booklet that will give them an idea of what they should be doing for their bodies. There's plenty of work for each month until they arrive. They also get a playbook, or sections of the playbook.

"So they can weed through some things, get a feel for the offense and get a feel for the terminology, because that's the biggest thing," Weist said of the inclusion of the playbook. "Whatever offense you go into, it's a foreign language. It's not necessarily about the scheme as much as it's about learning the language.

"And I think, at times, when possible, we'll get them here in spring ball, be around us in practice, get a feel for our style of practice, be in meetings, watch film, and get a feel for us, so when they come in the summer they're not just walking in the door and they haven't felt it or seen it personally."

Day and Weist said they will contact Boyle and Taylor at least twice a week until the two freshmen arrive. They will have to be self-motivators because, although they have committed to UConn, there are still NCAA limitations with respect to testing or the charting of a student-athlete's progress. It is incumbent on the QBs to follow what's being prescribed by coaches so they don't fall behind.

"I spend a lot of time with the quarterbacks because I want to see how much they love [the game]," Day said. "I'll go over a lot of detail and see if they want more. That's one of the things I'm really looking for. ... I love kids that want to be great. I think those guys all fit that profile. They're football junkies. They can't get enough. That's good."